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Avoiding Contact Lens
Problems
Contact lenses can cause eye problems, such as damage to
the cornea or eye infections. It is important to follow
the directions for cleaning and wearing these lenses to
avoid eye problems.
● Follow the
cleaning instructions for your lenses. Keep your lenses
and anything that touches them—hands, storage containers,
solution bottles, makeup—very clean. Wash your hands
before handling your contacts.
● Use a
commercial saline solution. (Generic brands are just as
good as name brands.) Homemade solution is easily
contaminated with bacteria.
● If your
contact lens cleaning solution becomes contaminated, throw
it away and buy new solution.
● Do not wet your contact
lenses in your mouth.
● Insert your contacts before
applying eye makeup. Do not apply makeup to the inner rim
of the eyelid. Replace eye makeup supplies every 3 to 6
months to reduce the risk of contamination.
● When worn for long periods
of time, extended-wear lenses are more likely to cause
severe eye infections. If you choose to wear them, follow
the wearing and cleaning schedule your doctor recommends.
● Visit your eye care
professional once a year to check the condition of your
lenses and the health of your eyes.
● Contact lenses, especially
soft lenses, may absorb eye drops. If you use eye
medications, leave your lenses out for about 30 minutes
after using the eye drops to avoid problems.
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